BLUE SKIES for Blue Harbor

Kraemer sails through resort project

Blue Harbor Resort & Convention Center and Blue Harbor Condominiums

By Candace Doyle

Photo courtesy of Kraemer Brothers LLC

Kraemer Brothers LLC had nothing but high hopes for the Blue Harbor project.

They weren't pie in the sky, either.

The massive convention center and condominium project along Lake Michigan came together like a dream, said Tom Kraemer, president of the Plain general contracting company.

But like most dreams-come-true, the four-story, 183-suite hotel and conference center took equal parts inspiration and perspiration.

"When you look at a project of this magnitude," Kraemer said, "it was just an unbelievable challenge to meet their goal."

Kraemer said his crews had 318 calendar days — "from ground breaking to grand opening" — to complete the project, which included a 40,000-square-foot indoor water park and a 29,000-square-foot conference center.

Besides sheer size, he said the project's challenges included its intricate design. The hotel's 5,000-square-foot, three-story grand lobby and atrium is topped by a dome and cupola built in place, for instance.

Also, the project includes a 120,000-square-foot condo project — 16 Victorian cottages with four units each — and a suspended boat for seating in the Weissgerber's Seabird Restaurant.

The water park, too, is elaborate, with its dueling tube slides and a $1 million interactive lighthouse water fort.

	Project Name: Blue Harbor Resort & Convention Center and Blue Harbor Condominiums Location: Sheboygan Submitting Company: Kraemer Brothers LLC, Plain General Contractor/Construction Manager: Kraemer Brothers LLC Architect: ADCI, Lake Delton Engineer: Pierce Engineers Inc., Milwaukee Owner: The Great Lakes Companies Inc., Madison Project Cost: $41.5 million Start Date: July 2003 Completion Date: June 2004

While Kraemer's familiar with the hospitality market, he said working with Geofoam, a material used in place of fill in some areas because of inadequate soil conditions, was new, as was working with water-park equipment manufacturers.

"That adds a new dimension to the project," he said.

ut the tight time line was met, largely because the team of contractors assembled was committed to the project. Kraemer said a commitment was made to work with local construction firms, resulting in $11 million in contracts.

"Contractors have a habit of bringing their buddies along when they're not in their area," said Kraemer, adding that the company purposely associated itself with local firms that "wanted to create the same conclusion."

One such local contract required thousands of wall panels to be assembled off site, shipped to the job and lifted into place. Trailers were delivering dozens of walls to the site each day — 4,050 used in the hotel alone. At one point, Kraemer Brothers had three crews, four cranes and 15 man-lifts going at once installing walls and roof and joint trusses.

On average, there were 250 workers on site each day, with about 90 Kraemer Brothers people there at times. That created a sense of camaraderie that "helped the construction goal."

"Frankly, it worked out very well in that regard," he said.